Between Planes
by Cache
Summary: Maiya's dealing with Jason's death and her new world. S2


Spoilers: Up to and including 'Dimensions'  
  
******************  
  
"Are you okay?" Augur glanced at Maiya, who was sitting behind the bar staring off into space. "You don't look so good."   
  
"What?" Maiya broke from her trance, disoriented. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, I guess." She studied Augur for a moment, then resumed cleaning off the counter.   
  
"If you're sure..." Augur took his jacket off a nearby stool. "I'm going out. Get some sleep." Maiya nodded, and Augur gave her one last worried look before he ducked out the door.   
  
***  
  
Maiya paused outside the door to her room. Every night she stopped here-to remind herself that Jason would not be waiting inside. Each time it got harder. She expected to find his open arms and warm smile welcoming her... Maiya shook her head. This was not 'home,' and Jason was not here. Still, it didn't make facing that fact any easier.   
She pushed open the door and entered the darkened room. Leaving the lights off, Maiya crossed the room to the table and lit a candle, it's soft glow illuminating the area.   
  
The others had been very kind to her, but it didn't change that she didn't belong here. None of this should ever have happened. Liam and Augur should never have come to her world. She should never have come with them. Jason should never have died...   
  
Maiya sat down on the floor at the edge of the ring of light. This was going to be a bad night...   
  
***  
  
A cool, gentle breeze brushed Maiya's face, carrying with it a soft, haunting melody. Its pure unearthly tone seemed to dance as one with the wind, leaving behind but an echo... Slowly, she raised her head, wiping the tears from her eyes. No longer was she in her apartment near the Flat Planet. She sat surrounded by a meadow as green as the darkest emerald, stretching in all directions as far as she could see.   
  
"Maiya..." a voice soft as the breeze and pure as the melody whispered, seeming to come from everywhere, and nowhere, all at once. She doubted that she had even heard it. Yet the voice, however quiet, was unmistakable...   
  
"Jason?" Maiya quickly rose from her place on the ground and turned about, searching for the source of the sound. Nothing. An endless sea of green. "Jason?" she cried desperately, willing him to appear, as another tear ran down her cheek.   
  
"Maiya..."   
  
Turning once again, hopelessly, Maiya found a large white stud standing behind her. Neck arched and nostrils flared, the horse snorted, striking at the ground with a foreleg. Maiya stood, awestruck. Never had she seen a more majestic animal-a surreal quality surrounded this one; he radiated beauty, grace, and power.   
  
"Have I changed so much that you no longer know me?"   
  
Maiya paused a moment, unbelieving... "I've missed you," she whispered, and began to cry uncontrollably.   
  
"And I you." Jason gently brushed her cheek with his velvety muzzle. Maiya leaned into his shoulder and buried her face in his thick mane, crying until the tears would no longer come...   
  
***  
  
"I don't understand, Jason. Where are we?" Maiya leaned against the horse's strong shoulder, watching the sun set on the horizon. It was the most beautiful she had ever seen, the colors were so vivid it seemed more a painting than a true sunset.   
  
"This is a bridge between planes," Jason answered. "It is a place where those who are troubled may walk and find peace. And it is a resting spot for those who are passing to the next level."   
  
Maiya gently stroked his long silky mane. "But how... This is impossible."   
  
"Elsewhere perhaps, but here anything is possible. Come, there is much to show you." The stud shook his head and galloped off.   
  
"Jason?! Jason!" Maiya ran after the horse, unable to keep up. As the white form disappeared from view, she sunk to the ground; it seemed her fate to have him so near, and yet lose him...   
  
"But I am not gone..." She raised her head at the words, finding herself no longer on the emerald plain, but in a rocky meadow, near a swiftly flowing stream. The moon had risen and bathed the area in a pale, silver glow, giving a tranquil quality to the entire scene. Standing at the edge of the stream was a magnificent white buck, an impressive set of antlers denoting his superior rank. He lowered his head, drinking from the stream, and seemed to glow with the same pale luminescence as the landscape, as if he had drunk pure moonbeams instead of water. "Have I not just told you that anything is possible?" The deer studied her with deep brown eyes.   
  
"You were just..." Maiya started.   
  
"Here I may take any form I please. Do not be alarmed," Jason said, moving to stand beside her.   
  
"Why am I here?"   
  
"Why you are here, I do not know. I am here because you have called me."   
  
"Called you?" Maiya asked, confused.   
  
"You have need of me, and I came to you in response." The buck gracefully folded his legs beneath him, lying down on the grass.   
  
"I've longed to hear your voice, feel your touch..."   
  
"Shhh...sit beside me," Jason interrupted. Maiya complied, taking a place beside him and leaning into his shoulder. "Listen," he whispered.   
  
She closed her eyes, listening. The music which had met her, once again danced upon the wind, more prevalent now than before. The music seemed to reach out to her, sweeping her up in its beauty, and worked its way into her very soul. She could hide nothing from it as it searched. Maiya attempted to pull away as the melody discovered and brought forth the pain she had hidden deep inside-her pain at losing Jason; but she could not, she was trapped in its gentle hold. The music changed slightly, taking on a blue-green quality, and soothed the area of pain it had discovered-releasing her from its fiery entrapment, bringing her peace. Exhausted, she slept, deep and without dreams for the first time since Jason's death.   
  
***  
  
Maiya came to her senses slowly, trying to recall... A deer, she could...suddenly she remembered all that had happened. She opened her eyes, her face buried in thick white fur. Since when did deer have thick fur...? Lifting her head she realized the scene had changed.   
  
No longer was she lying by a stream. She lay on a thick cushion of fallen leaves, trees surrounding her on all sides. A large white wolf now lay at her side where the deer had been, Jason... "You are awake," he said, sitting up.   
  
"What...? I..." Maiya stammered, sitting up as well.   
  
"Do not question what has happened. There are many things you are not meant to know or understand." Maiya fell silent. "Something continues to bother you?" The wolf tilted his head, studying her.   
  
"Jason, I don't belong in their world. Sometimes I think what I did was wrong; I should be with our people."   
  
"You did the right thing, Maiya. It is what I asked of you."   
  
"But..."   
  
"For as strong as Liam seems, he needs watching over," Jason interrupted her. "He is young and reckless. Often he does not think about what he is doing before he acts. You are his center; you remind him of what could happen and you are there to keep him from pursuing anything too rash. He needs you, your support. Besides," Jason continued, "you know the history of our world and you can keep the same thing from happening to theirs."   
  
"Still, our people..." Maiya protested.   
  
"I watch over our people, do not worry about that." The wolf rose. "And now it is time for you to leave."   
  
"Jason, no. I can't leave you." Maiya stood in alarm.   
  
"You have a job you must do, Maiya. And there is one I must tend to also."   
  
"Can I come back?" she asked.   
  
"In time we will meet here again..." The words carried a weight of finality about them.   
  
"I can't live without you, Jason," Maiya pleaded.   
  
"You are never without me. I am in all things. Do you not remember the teachings of our people? All things are connected. The grass, the horse, the stream, the deer, the trees...the music. All things are intertwined, so that to know but a small part of the world is to know the entire universe. In each thing you see, you may see me if you wish. I am with you always, Maiya." There was a blinding flash of light and from it came a large white hawk, flying into the night sky. High over head he circled once before disappearing into the stars.   
  
***  
  
Maiya opened her eyes slowly. It was completely dark, the candle long since having burnt out. How long had she been asleep? She sighed, she had the most wonderful dreams...with Jason... But they had only been dreams-nothing more.   
  
Maiya rose and went to the table, lighting another candle. Hearing something move behind her, she turned, startled. Nothing. Only a single white hawk feather resting on the floor...   
  
***  
  
--Fin--  
  



End file.
